Refrigerator-trap.



Ru. 64%),486. Patented Ian. 2, I900. H. N. PARKER.

REFRIGERATOR TRAP.

(Application filed Juna l, 1898.]

(No Model.)

n cams Pzrzns co, Puoroumo, WASHINGTON, a c

HOMER N. PARKER, OF WINOIIENDON,

HALF TO JOHN MCKEE,

triers.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

REFRlGERATOR TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,486, dated January 2, 1900.

Application filed June 1,1898. Serial No. 682,283. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, HOMER N. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Winchendon, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a n ew and useful Improvement in Refrigerator- Traps, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a refrigerator, showing my improved trap connected therewith; and Fig. 2 represents, 011 a larger scale, the end of the refrigerator drippipe and water-cup by which the end of the drip-pipe is sealed.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in both figures.

My invention has for its object to provide a trap for a refrigerator drip-pipe which will be automatically emptied by the opening and closing of the refrigerator-door, in order to prevent the aecum ulation of sediment in the trap and the clogging of the end of the drip pipe, and it consists in the construction and arrangement ofparts as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the annexed claims.

In Fig. 1 I have shown in perspective view so much of a refrigerator as is necessary to illustrate the construction and operation of my improved device, a portion of the front of the refri geratorhavin g been broken away in order to disclose the spring-actuated spindle, which is depressed when the door is closed in order to raise the water-cup into operative position.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes the body of the refrigerator, and B the under side or bottom.

C denotes the drip-pipe,leading from the icechamber (not shown) and having its lower end O projecting through the bottom of the refrigerator. Held in brackets D D, which are attached to the bottom of the refrigerator, is a rod E, capable of rocking in its bearings. Each end of the rod E is bent at right angles, forming radial arms E E Beneath the end 0 of the drip-pipe Cis-a water-cup F, having an arm F, which is pivoted at F to the bracketl). The water-cu p F is arranged,when raised, in a horizontal position to inclose the end 0 of the drip-pipe O, as represented in Fig. 2, in order to hold the water discharged from the drip-pipe and form a water seal, which pre vents air from passing up the drip-pipe to the ice-chamber. The water-cup F is held in a horizontal position by the radial arm E, the outer end of which bears against the under side of the arm F, so that by rocking the rod E to raise the radial arm E the water-cup F can be lifted and held in a horizontal position, as represented in Fig. 2. The radial arm E at the opposite end of the rod E passes through a hole in the lower end of a vertically-sliding spindle G. The spindle Gis held atits upper and lower end in the sleeves G and G which are driven tightly into a hole II, bored in the refrigerator-front, so that the sleeves G and G will be held from longitudinal movement. Attached to the spindle G is a collar G and between the collar G and the lower sleeve G is a spiral spring G, which presses the spindle G upwardly. The upper end of the spindle G is beveled at G and projects into the dooropening when the door I is opened. By closing the door I the lower edge J of the door acts upon the beveled end G of the spindle G to push it down against the tension of the spring G, thereby rocking the rod E and raising the radial arm E, which carries the watercup F into the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2, inclosing the lower end 0 of the drip-pipe. \Vhen the door I is opened, the spindle G is released, allowing the spring G to press it upwardly, thereby raising the radial arm E and reversing the rocking motion of the rod E, which depresses the radial arm E, carrying it in to the position indicated by the broken lines E, Fig. 2, and allowing the water-cup F to fall by gravity into the position shown by the broken lines F Fig. 2. When the radial arm is depressed, the wateroup F is permitted to fall low enough to empty itself of water or any sediment that may have been accumulated therein. As soon as the door I is again closed the spindle G is pressed downwardly and the water-cup F is again raised into its horizontal position to act as a trap and form a water seal for the end of the drip-pipe. The closing of the door I serves to maintain the water-cup F in operative position as a seal for the drippipe, and every time the door I is opened the watercup is allowed to fall and empty itself.

I am aware that it is not new to employ a hinged water-cup with connected operative mechanism by which the cup could be emptied by an attendant, and I do not claim such a device broadly.

In my improved device the water-cup is emptied and brought into operative position again by the action of the refrigerator-door in opening and closing, thereby making the emptying of the water-cup incidental to the ordinary use of the refrigerator and no special attention by the attendant.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a refrigerator, the combination with a swinging door, and a drip-pipe having its end projecting beneath the refrigerator, of a hinged water-cup arranged to fall by gravity and empty itself, and when raised in a horizontal position to inclose the end of said drippipe, and actuating mechanism connected with said cup and extending into the path of said swinging door, whereby the closing of said door will raise said cup into a horizontal position to seal the end of the drip-pipe, substantially as described.

2. In a refrigerator, the combination of a drip-pipe and a swinging door, of a hinged water-cup arranged to fall by gravity and empty, itself and actuating mechanism extending into the path of the door, whereby the closing of the door will raise the watercnp into a horizontal position to seal the end of the drip-pipe and means for reversing said actuating mechanism when the door is opened and allow said water-cup to fall, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the drip-pipe of a refrigerator, of a hinged water-cup arranged,

when in a horizontal position, to inclose the end of said drip-pipe and to fall by gravity when released and empty itself, and means actuated by the refrigerator-door by which said water-cup is held in a horizontal position when said door is closed, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the drip-pipe of a refrigerator, of a hinged water-cup arranged when in a horizontal position to inclose the end of said drip-pipe and to fall by gravity and empty itself, a sliding spindle held in the refrigerator and provided with a beveled end projecting into the door-opening, a swinging door arranged, when closed, to strike said spindle and move it longitudinally, connected mechanism by which said spindle is connected with said water-cup, and a spring by which said spindle is reversed when the door is opened, substantially as described.

5. In a refrigerator, the combination with a drip-pipe of a hinged water-cup arranged when in a horizontal position to inclose the end of said drip-pipe and to fall by gravity and empty itself, a rocking rod supported beneath the refrigerator and having a radial arm supporting said water-cup in ahorizontal position, a sliding spindle operatively connected with said rocking rod and provided with a beveled end projecting into the path of the door in closing, and a spring applied to said spindle to reverse its motion when the door is opened, substantially as described.

Dated this 23d day of May, 1898.

HOMER N. PARKER.

Witnesses: GEO. M. WHITNEY,

JOHN B. MABREY. 

